Legislative briefs for May 19, 2009

• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 19, 2009 - Page: 4A

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Hybrid creation ban wins Senate backing
A bill that would make it a crime to create “human-animal hybrids” won approval in the Senate on Monday evening.

The Senate voted 38-0 for Senate Bill 115 by state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner.

The legislation would make it illegal to combine human and animal cells. Violators would face up to 10 years in prison.

The legislation next faces action in the House.

Panel rejects ban on traffic cameras
A House committee on Monday rejected legislation that would have prohibited municipalities from using automated cameras to issue traffic tickets.

Nine transportation committee members voted against House Bill 480, which had seven votes in favor.

State Reps. Jeff Arnold and Cedric Richmond sponsored House Bill 480, which would have outlawed use of the cameras that catch speeders and motorists who run red lights. The measure would have forced the cameras to shut down in January. Arnold and Richmond, both New Orleans Democrats, could attempt to attach the proposal to other legislation on the House floor.

PAR wants revision of revenue forecast
The nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council added its voice to those who think the state should revise its official revenue forecast, giving legislators an up-to-date picture of how much money will flow into state coffers next year.

“To hold off on a new estimate would reinforce the public perception that politics is at play in what should be an unbiased, systematic estimating process,” PAR said in a commentary.

The four-member Revenue Estimating Conference usually meets in mid-May to update the revenue forecast. The forecast was last updated in February. But House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, who sits on the panel, has said he doesn’t think the forecast needs to be tweaked.

LSU economist Jim Richardson, also a panel member, said last week he disagrees with Tucker.

Panel backs help for hospitals’ losses
Private and community hospitals would divvy up $213 million from the state and federal government to help them cope with revenue losses caused by hurricanes over the past four years, under a bill by House Speaker Jim Tucker that received approval Monday from a House committee.

House Bill 879 would use $45 million in one-time federal hurricane recovery dollars to draw down an additional $168 million in federal matching cash through the Medicaid program for the poor and a program to help cover the costs of uninsured care.